The #MeToo movement came to India as the much-needed kick in the face to many predators in power. The movement that created ripples in Hollywood and dethroned many predators at the top like Harvey Weinstein. When many women spoke up about their horrible experiences with Harvey, Hollywood united to take a stand. When the #MeToo movement trickled down to India, we had expected at least a little bit of the same effect here. While the movement had arrived in full force and unveiled predators in many organizations and mainly Bollywood, it, unfortunately, lost momentum after a few months.
If you list out the number of names that had come out in the course of a few months last year to appropriate actions taken against them, you’d be left disappointed. There are many predators walking free having resumed work brushing off a number of sexual allegations against them. One of the biggest shock to most of us was when music director Anu Malik‘s name popped up when many women including singers Sona Mohapatra, Shweta Pandit, and Neha Bhasin had opened up on Twitter about his inappropriate behaviour with many women. The music director who was lying low for a while now seems to have returned in full force. He is currently judging Sony TV‘s popular singing reality show Indian Idol 11.
But today, Sona took to Twitter to tell the world that this is NOT okay. She called out the channel and the makers for reinstating Anu Malik as the judge despite a number of women speaking up against his inappropriate behaviour in an open letter.
Take a look:
Before Sona penned down this letter, she had tweeted about an interview she had given to a regional newspaper a while ago talking about how she was asked to leave Sa Re Ga Ma Pa as a judge overnight because she spoke up against Anu Malik. Singer Neha Bhasin agreed with Sona calling Anu Malik a predator and detailing her interaction with Mr. Malik.
Here’s what she had to say:
I agee with you. We do live in a very sexist world. Anu Malik is a predetor, i too have run away from his strange moves when i was 21. I didn’t let myself get into a sticky situation beyond him lying on a sofa in front of me talking about my eyes in a studio. I fleed lying https://t.co/tQgStLrYyT
— Neha Bhasin (@nehabhasin4u) October 30, 2019
I fleed lying my mums waiting below. He even msgd and called me after that to which i stopped responding. The point is i went to give him my cd and hope for a chance at a song. He was older and shouldnt have behaved the way he did. @The_AnuMalik is an ugly pervert and does not https://t.co/tQgStLrYyT
— Neha Bhasin (@nehabhasin4u) October 30, 2019
Even though i have a brave DNA Sona 🙂 as you have known me the industry or the world was not an easy place as a young girl alone away from family due to many such Incidents or getting a hunch of such perverts. Perverts exist inside n outside our industry but why are we so https://t.co/VcCxryE8Ff
— Neha Bhasin (@nehabhasin4u) October 31, 2019
(2) so forgiving to the men, do we realise that is what gives them the strength to ruin our dignity, hide us women in our houses. I hid many times so as to not get myself in a sticky situation. Why is it ok? For a man who is predetor to walk free while we hide in shame n fear? https://t.co/VcCxryE8Ff
— Neha Bhasin (@nehabhasin4u) October 31, 2019
Last thing i wanna say is 19 to age 30 many older men tried to make their cheap advances oh ne rest assured i complained to the people i thought would bring justice. The Tv world says a womans role is of Ma, bhabhi aur behen oh yes i was told that too. So what is A man’s role? https://t.co/VcCxryE8Ff
— Neha Bhasin (@nehabhasin4u) October 31, 2019
It is post this Twitter conversation that Sona wrote the strong open letter.
Like Sona mentions in her letter, back in 2018, Shweta Pandit was one of the first celebrity singers that opened up in detail about what happened after Sona.
Take a look:
Had to go back to my worst memory as a teenage girl today to write this and speak up – its now or never. This is my #MeToo and have to warn young girls about #AnuMalik & let you know your #TimesUp @IndiaMeToo
Thank you @sonamohapatra for speaking up about him & supporting this pic.twitter.com/e261pGQyEq— Shweta Pandit Fucci (@ShwetaPandit7) October 17, 2018
It is disappointing and quite honestly disgusting as to how easily Bollywood has forgotten what these perpetrators have done to a number of women. Are we ever going to do something about this? So that women stop feeling unsafe at their own workplace? As Sona said, will it really take a Nirbhaya level crime or tragedy for us to raise our voices and arms against these predators?
We as a team and as an organization stand with you, Sona, Neha, and Shweta. We see you and hear you.
Absolutely disgusted. We’re back where we started and it’s not good enough. We stand by you always ladies. Thank you for being brave enough to say something. You have my full support. @sonamohapatra @nehabhasin4u @ShwetaPandit7 #MeToo #TimesUp https://t.co/tVRVMtyj43
— MissMalini (@MissMalini) October 31, 2019
We won’t shut up, either.